 | Songs and other poems (1664) |  |
51
Song XLIII. A Wife.
1
Since thou'rt condemn'd to wed a thing,And that same thing must be a she;
And that same she to thee must cling
For term of life of her and thee;
I'll tell thee what this thing shall bee.
2
I would not have her virtuous,For such a wife I ne'er did see;
And 'tis a madness to suppose
What never was, nor e'er shall bee;
To seem so is enough to thee.
3
Do not desire she should be wise,Yet let her have a waggish wit;
No circumventing subtilties,
But pretty slights to please and hit,
And make us laugh at her, or it.
4
Nor must thou have one very just,Lest she repay thee in thy kind;
And yet she must be true to trust;
Or if to sport she has a mind,
Let her be sure to keep thee blind.
5
One part of valour let her have;Not to return but suffer ill,
To her own passion be no slave
But to thy law's obedient still,
And unto thine submit her will.
52
6
Be thou content she have a tongue,That's active so it be not lowd;
And so she be straight-limb'd and young,
Though not with beauty much endow'd,
No matter, so she be but proud.
7
Tir'd she should be, not satisfi'd,But alwaies tempting thee for more,
So cunningly she bee n't espy'd.
Let her act all parts like a whore,
So she bee n't one, I'ld ask no more.
8
But above all things, let her beShort liv'd and rich, no strong-dock'd Jone,
That dares to live till 53,
Find this wife, if thou must have one;
But there's no wife so good as none.
| Songs and other poems (1664) | |